Dark Elf Chronicles
by Kingslayer
Summary: What of the Elf Clans of Middle-Earth? How would we learn of them and what would be their tales?
1. Introduction

"Spring knows them and Summer too and in Winter still they are among us, but in Autumn most of all do they come out, for Autumn is their season, fallen as they are upon the Autumn of their days. What shall the dreamers of the Earth be like when their Winter come?"  
  
From the Book of Lost Tales 2  
  
As happens to people many times these days, I found myself between jobs. It would be a temporary condition; one assignment had ended sooner than expected so time would pass before another began. Through a friend, I found a temporary job much to my liking.   
  
An area was becoming a Museum. Construction of the building was complete and installation of exhibits started. Landscaping and placement of benches on the grounds was underway but much of the land was little more than brush. I became the night watchman, chasing off trash dumpers and druggies. The work was safe; I would call the police if anything bad happened. The nights were clear and crisp. The pay kept me in food. The land was haunted.  
  
This last I did not believe although many that worked there assured me it was so. It had been seen, a glowing form vaguely human though not frightening or moving. Because I said I did not believe, I was hired. I spent the nights exploring the museum and the land, and remembering old histories and tales I knew. Until I saw the ghost.  
  
It was one of the clearest, coolest nights since I had started working. I saw nothing then I saw a glowing form vaguely human and not frightening. It did move, it raised an arm and waved to me and I could feel in my mind more than hear: "Come, come." I followed as it moved strangely, neither fully walking nor floating yet doing both until it reached a fence at the top of a hill and vanished. As I came to the foot of the hill, I found a man lying there. He looked to be a drunk who had climbed the fence for some reason and had fallen and injured himself. I told the ambulance team and my employers I had found him in my wanderings, and said nothing of the ghost.  
  
Of course, I looked for the ghost to appear again but as the days passed and it did not, I fell into my old habits. I walked through the rooms looking at the exhibits as they took form. Many of the objects brought back half memory half imaginings of older days and ancient stories. I would try to recall what I glimpsed. Then one night, as I was leaning against a tree trying to remember some lines from and old myth, I felt my heart fill with joy, the feeling was if an old friend or lover had suddenly returned. A glow came from behind me and he appeared in my sight.  
  
The ghost was male, very tall, and lithe. Though the glow was not as blinding close up I could not tell if he had long hair or bright glow, clear eyes or the light as of the sun, pointed ears or beams shining from his hair. Again I felt more than heard: "Greetings, I am Star-Lover, a lingerer of the Quendi or as you of the race of Men might say the spirit of an Elf. I come to you because you are kind and love things old and fair."  
  
I felt from him a need for understanding, first of his words then of his soul. To be sure I spoke as well as thought: "Elf? To us they, ... you are mere legend, less, stories made up by other men."  
  
"Some of us have spoken to other Men and they have said tales of our lives. Each talebearer has colored their story with their heart-yearnings, each story is thereby different. Each has told of a different Clan of Elf and thereby many different kinds of us are known. To you I give another set, one that was ignored by other Clans. I would talk to you and have tales told of we Moriquendi."  
  
Held as if in a spell I could only ask, "What is that?"  
  
"The Elfs of which you have been told are Caliquendi, Elfs of the Light, who went to Aman and saw the Valar. Men would say 'those who went to heaven and lived amongst the light of the gods'. I am Moriquendi, one who did not see the Valar. Though some think it an insult to be so called, I am an Elf of the Dark, one who did not see the gods and it is of the Dark Elfs I would speak and have you speak."  
  
Though many of his words were strange to me, I felt I understood them. Star-Lover or those he brought to me never threatened me. So from my elf friend Star-Lover I learned and from his friends I learned more and now what I have learned I give in these Dark Elf chronicles. 


	2. By the Waters, Friends

By the water, friends  
  
It was the time by the Water of Awakening, 'Cuivienen', where the Elfs first became aware. They found they alone had voices and could speak and sing. Alone they could grant names. Themselves they named the 'Quendi': Those That Speak With Voices. They looked up and named stars, sky, vast. They found use for the names tree, grass, plant. They looked upon themselves and gave to some the names brother sister mother father lover. They saw other that walked and named horse, bird, insect, wolf. But one that walked they did not yet name.  
  
As elven bodies began to move Those That Speak With Voices found that they were also those that move with grace. Walking was flowing with natural ease. Leaping distances and into trees came easily. Falls were lightly taken and seldom led to any hurt. Lightly they could run atop snow and leaves and dancing was done with elegance. And they saw that the unnamed one that walked was just as graceful.  
  
Then elf curiosity became known, both to Elf and to Arda 'The World'. Elf would sit and stare at stars for many times-of-rest; for sun and moon were not yet here and star lit dark was all about, just to see what stars were like. Groups would travel on long paths to find out what distant lands revealed. Small things received examination; large things were measured. Much was set in memory and much talked of. The unnamed graceful walker proved to be just as curious.  
  
As Elvenhome expanded, Elfs tried new and wondrous deeds. They made friends with trees and taught them to speak, and the unnamed walkers climbed the trees and watched. They created bowers and flets and the unnamed entered these, tails held erect and proud, and explored to their content. Food was grown and stored, meals cooked and with elven grace the unnamed kept rodents from the stores and requested, but never begged for samples of the food. Smithying, craftwork, and creating of music all took place watched by silted eyes in bodies curled beneath chairs.  
  
But all was not safe on Arda. Fell beasts appeared that would take Elf as food or as sport; none knew. Then The Hunter appeared, on a dark horse, sounding a loud horn as he rode. Elfs traveling alone disappeared and some from small groups told of hoof beats coming from behind, of friend or sibling snared and carried off. Parts of the land became dark. Unknown fear would come to those who traveled in these fields. Elven senses became even sharper as the Elfs sought their tormenters. The nameless ones of gracefulness also had Elven sharp senses. They could find the enemies of the light as easily well as could Elf. Further, they would fight them, warning first with hissing and fluffing of fur followed by leaping, clawing, biting. Though many were lost in these attacks, always the creatures would join Elfs in defense.  
  
Because of this, many an Elf invited the unnamed graceful ones into their homes. Some did not want to stay. Some tried to talk to their Elf. A Strange communication began to develop. The independence of the creatures was unbreakable; some say even more than the Dwarves. Yet, the need for company was great in them. They could lie for hours in lap or on arm purring or they could ignore for days. But above all, they would listen. Trees would talk, beasts would obey, but these unnamed graceful walking creatures would simply listen to an Elf. No judgment or unneeded response, just listening. More and more Elfs found kindred spirits among these unnamed. At times when there was no one else, the graceful walkers became friends. And that became one of their names, among others. Elf-friend, each so dubbed when born as kittens as the only non-speaking beings to be so called and the only race to all hold the title.  
  
And today many Lingerers say that the way to know what Elf was like in the youth of their creation is to live with a group of cats. Cats still enact the walk of the Elder Days, the curiosity, the defense, and the friendship developed with the Elfs. For if the pride of Dogs is that they are bonded to Men until the End of Days, the pride of cats is that in the Time before Days, they bonded to Elf and now are the last of elvendom on earth. 


End file.
